1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to packaging electronic circuit components and in particular to securing printed circuit cards within a computer system chassis. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cartridge packaging apparatus for mechanically mounting and electronically coupling a printed circuit card having at least two bus signaling interfaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
The increased dependency on high-capacity processor based systems has resulted in a need for such systems to be serviced while performing regular functions. A typical computer system includes a system planar having multiple access ports adapted to receive computer modules to expand the capacity and functionality of the computer. For high-end mainframe applications in which individualized installation and removal of printed circuit cards presents significant logistical obstacles, so called blind dock cartridges are commonly utilized to facilitate convenient installation and removal (i.e. blind swapping) of cards into access ports. A blind dock or blind swap cartridge is generally a carrier device for the card in which the card connection direction is transverse to the direction of cartridge insertion into the chassis. The card is contained within the cartridge carrier which is then inserted and seated into position within a rack or chassis bay. Thereafter, an ejection lever for the carrier holding the card is actuated, seating the card into the associated connector of the access port. One problem associated with such cartridge handling of printed circuit cards arises when the object card requires more than one cable interconnect such as when the card is a multi-function card having more than one signaling interface. For example, it is increasingly common for a PCI card to include onboard applications requiring at least one other system interconnect such as a Small Computer System Interconnect (SCSI) interconnect.
Such additional interconnections pose problems in the context of a highly compact modularized chassis mounting apparatus. Additional chassis cable connections coupled to or within a cartridge would interfere with the cartridge placement thus defeating the purpose of the cartridge as a convenient card placement forum. An alternate approach that avoids additional cable connectors from the chassis to the cartridge entails replacing the primary connector, such as a PCI edge connector, with a connector accommodating the one or more additional signaling interfaces. Such an approach would require designing non-standardized interconnects having and the higher contact density.
As manufacturers continually to strive to develop higher-capacity computer systems having increased functionality and flexibility and reduced size, the consequent need for efficient mounting of multi-function cards grows accordingly. Therefore, a need exists for a printed circuit card mounting apparatus enabling a card having more than one external signaling interface to be conveniently mounted within a computer chassis. The present invention addresses such a need.